Intrigue (Elvis Presley Story)

Chapter 12

"Here." Elvis handed her the tools as the stone began to shift inside the cavity they were opening around it.

Olivia dropped the hammer, chisel and brush in the toolbox and quickly returned to assist him. "How heavy is it?"

Dust clung to his arms and forehead, and turned the shoulders of his clean white shirt to ecru. He glanced down at her outstretched hands. "Too heavy for you to catch. back up."

Dutifully retreating to the edge of the scaffolding, olivia twisted her body, mimicking the pushing and tugging of Elvis's arms as he jimmied the stone loose.

"And we--" She heard the clink of the last bit of mortar giving way "--have--"  stone grated against stone "--victory!"

"Yes!" Olivia pumped her fists as the rock slid free from the wall.

"Not bad teamwork, eh? Let's clean out the hole and make sure there aren't any little critters or sharp...or, you could just check it out for yourself."

Only momentarily distracted by the bulge of Elvis's muscles as he took the full weight of the stone and set it down, olivia hurried over to the gaping hole. Bracing one hand against the door frame, she stretched up on her tiptoes and stuck her arm inside.

Grit. Cool stone. Rough concrete. Her fingertips brushed against something softer, small and bulky, in the back corner. "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh!"

"What?" A strong arm snaked around her waist and pulled her away from the wall.

"Yes!" Olivia twisted, wrapping her arms around Elvis's neck. "We found it!" Between the adrenaline rush and gravity, They teetered over the edge.

"Ah, hell. Hold on." Elvis closed both arms around her and jumped before they fell. Landing with a jolt she barely felt, olivia clutched her prize in her hand and kissed the side of his neck. 

His skin was warm, still riding the euphoria of solving the mystery of the journal and falling through the air to land quite safely against Elvis's soild, unyielding chest, her senses were already intensified. The kiss, chaste in and of itself, rippled like a shock waves through her system, short-circuiting shyness and sensibilities.

She dragged her mouth up along the cordings of his neck until her lips found the sharp line of his jaw and changed directions.

"Yes." She cheered on their success with a throaty whisper. Kissed the point of his chin. "Yes!"

She pressed her lips against his with an instinct so natural that she hardly realised it was a kiss. But something deep inside her knew. She knew she wanted to kiss him again. And again.

Her fingers combed through the raven silk of his hair and guided his mouth to hers. Her body stretched out against him, echoing the friction between his harder mouth and her softer, seeking lips. She took the kiss she wanted. Demanded another. She...

Oh. No.

The adrenaline wore off and reality rushed in, heating her face with embarrassment. Filling her brain with excuses and apologies and the command to run.

In her mindless celebration, she'd literally thrown herself at him and was kissing the stuffing out of him.

She gave a token swipe to the hair she'd mussed and quickly pulled her hands down. I'm sorry. Get the words out. Make the awkward moment go away.

But when she tried to step back, his hands locked at her waist. "Don't stop now."

Elvis's words were laced with lust, his eyes with promise. Olivia watched in wide-eyed wonder as he leaned in. With his thumb and forefinger he nudged her chin up. Even when he paused to pull off his gloves and toss them, the focus of those flashing blue eyes never wavered away from her mouth.